The More Things Change
by Framework2010
Summary: Post-Third Impact, Seele is back with a seemingly foolproof method of provoking Instrumentality again, while Nerv and a few new allies struggle to uncover and stop Fourth Impact. First fanfic, please review. Thanks. UPDATE: On indefinite hiatus. Pending rewrite.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Asuka Langley Soryu woke with a start.

It was the same dream, always the monsters ripping her EVA to pieces, always the schizophrenic lightshow…always the same beach, the same person lying next to her…

"Scheiße", she muttered, "Why me? Why this horrid dream again?"

As she got up, she looked the framed picture at her bedside. It was a picture of three people, during happier days. The three individuals said were Misato Katsuragi, who was her commanding officer and guardian, pre-Third Impact and post-Third Impact, herself in the middle, and an individual who still brought up bittersweet memories.

"Shinji, you idiot," whispered Asuka, "we made it out, we were together, but you still left…"

"Breakfast is ready!" shouted Misato cheerfully, "It's not burnt this time!"

Asuka sighed and dressed. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she could see the crispness of the Nerv uniform, the subtle black epaulettes complementing the dominant red color of the uniform. There were rumors of another insurgency. Until the state of emergency was declared over, her main duties would not be as a high school student, but rather as a pilot for Nerv. Squinting, she could barely make out the motto of the organization…

"God's in his heaven, all's right in the world."

"Asuka! The food is starting to get cold!" screamed Misato with a hint of agitation.

"I'm coming, damn it!"

But just as a routine morning argument began, an unwelcome and almost alien cacophony filled the room.

The alarms had begun to wail. And Asuka froze in fear.

* * *

With Misato's insane driving in the sprightly Renault Alpine A310, they were on time for once.

Asuka sprinted through the halls of Nerv HQ, hastily saluting a variety of personnel, while suppressing her own apprehension, and quickly made it to the hangar, where Evangelion Unit 02 stood proudly, with an air of confidence and dignity, it's stature reflecting the personality of its fiery pilot. Climbing in the entry plug, Asuka awaited the influx of LCL, and acclimatised herself to the sudden pressure change. Taking a deep gulp of the LCL, Misato's voice crackled through the intercom, with a sudden, unexpected severity to her voice.

"Lieutenant Soryu. Three bandits are heading northwest at a speed of 0.6 mach. They have been confirmed to be MP Evas. As they are not squawking at all on the IFF transponder, we are to assume that they are hostile.

Asuka shuddered. It was the MP Evas that had defeated her in that last stand. Moreover, Unit 02 still had not received a S2 engine, meaning she had only 5 minutes if her power cable snappped to disable them. _It's going to happen again. I'm going to die again. Why are they here? Why must I die again?_

"Understood. I'm heading out."

* * *

As the reinforced windows creaked under the enormous pressure of water, Chairman Keel Lorenz looked at the underwater ruins of Venice. The former center of culture was submerged after Second Impact. Eerily, the absence of oxygen in Venice's lagoons had preserved the shattered blocks, leaving them suspended in the water, nearly perfectly preserved. For Keel and the other eleven revived members of Seele, it was one of these blocks that would be their meeting place, where they would form collusions and try to salvage the tattered remnants of Third Impact. Keel was mesmerized at the fantastic sight, a twisted monument to humanity, of destruction and of preservation.

"20 minutes to the Ca' d'Oro, Chairman Keel. Also, the attack on Nerv HQ utilizing the remaining three MP Evas has begun." Keel looked at the seasoned naval officer delivering the message. "I'm sorry for the delay. The submersible had a few problems with its forward bulkheads."

Keel shifted his gaze from the officer to the ruins again. "Thank you, Commander, for the update. Despite the delay this time, I will be utilizing your services soon again."

The officer, pleased, promptly left his client to guide the submersible for the final approach to Block A-32, formerly the Ca' d'Oro.

_Before Instrumentality, that impromptu idiot would have been shot! _But Keel did not have such luxury any more. Transportation was getting harder to find, and the said officer had not only a functional submersible, but also access to an enormous intelligence network, which allowed Keel to keep track of some of the most obscure political and military movements, ever excepting the impregnable Magi. Moreover, the officer was, despite his demands of payment, surprisingly loyal to Seele.

So Keel calmed down. Besides that, they had all the time in the world. Nerv had only one Eva unit left, which was no match for his S2 equipped MP Evas, and Unit 01, the only Eva capable of derailing Instrumentality, had disappeared.

_After the success of this operation, there will be nothing that can oppose the will of Seele._

With a confident smile, Keel sat back, and awaited the news of the destruction of Unit 02.

* * *

"Dammit!"

Before Unit 02 had even engaged the enemies, a pseudo-Lance of Longinuus had snapped her power cable. The dreaded five-minute timer had begun its countdown.

Asuka grimly laughed. "So this is the end. But before that, I'm going to give these bastards a beating they'll never forget."

Quickly willing her Eva into a defensive stance, she decapitated an MP Eva diving in. As expected, it quickly recovered. "Scheiße."

"Asuka, try to find the core of these things!" Misato cried. "It's the only way of disabling them!"

"I'm trying! I'm trying!"

"Damn…Lieutenant! Bogey at 10 o'clock!"

Asuka quickly turned around and was smashed into the ground. Promptly, she blew the hostile off with a burst from her SMG. Breathing heavily, she reverted to her original combat stance while the MP Evas glided around her like vultures. Despite the damage done unto them by Unit 02, all of the enemies were functional. Asuka strained her eyes attempting to find the S2 cores of her foes. Then, suddenly, alarms began blaring in the cockpit.

"Battery critical. 1:30 remaining."

The redhead quietly cursed, and began desperately brainstorming ideas which can solve her power dilemma. Suddenly, she remembered. _Unit 01 and Unit 00 both have functional power cables I can use._

Swiftly, Unit 02 deployed a barrage of smoke grenades and made her way to Unit 01's launch elevator and armory. "Main power source is back online."

Asuka sighed in relief, but it was not to last. Without warning, a Lance destroyed the former Unit 00 housing, and the three MP Evas were once again closing in on Unit 02's location. _These bastards are quick learners. Damn it! They've really backed me up against a wall…_

Suddenly, Asuka spotted a breach in one of the enemies' armor, and saw a brief flash of red. Acting purely on instinct, Asuka grabbed a Lance and impaled that Eva. The Eva stumbled a few steps, and promptly exploded, creating a massive crater. The remaining two Evas made a strategic retreat.

Asuka slumped over the cockpit. Ignoring the shouts and commands from Nerv HQ, she fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

"_How disgusting."_

_Crimson red LCL lapped the beach, while a boy, whom she hated and loved, cried in her bosom._

_As it hurt to talk, the usually outspoken Asuka Langley Soryu stayed silent. She was heavily injured, and the boy carried her around the countryside, looking for shelter, looking for people._

_He learned how to use a gun, and had been forced to unholster it several times to fend off wild animals and unscrupulous individuals who had returned. They, together, had walked all across the length of Japan, not finding anyone they knew._

_Eventually, they found the ruins of Nerv HQ, and the boy salvaged some medical supplies, trying to treat her wounds himself. She had begun drifting in and out of consciousness, a sign of an infection. The bandages had become unsanitary, and both of them knew that if he didn't succeed in stemming the damage of the previous battle, she would quickly die._

_He succeeded._

_As she progressively recovered, he brought her solid meals and water. He found some of her old books lying around in lockers, and brought them to try and read them. She watched him struggle with German, and she laughed at his perplexion silently._

_And one day, he was gone. She could hear the sound of boots marching, the familiar sound of Major Misato Katsuragi ordering troops to sweep the headquarters. She had regained enough strength to talk and even to stand up, and was crushed by Misato in a bear hug._

_It felt comforting, yet without his presence, she felt empty. She could hear the faint sounds of infantry squads securing Central Dogma._

_All she said to Misato was, "Where's Shinji?" Seeing Misato's pained expression, Asuka Langley Soryu broke down and cried._

* * *

"Visual confirmation on the Ca' d'Oro."

Keel looked out the window, and saw the once-magnificent palazzo. He was troubled. Another one of Seele's convoys had been ambushed, and there had been no survivors. That made for the fifteenth this year, and this one was particularly critical. Seele needed those supplies to create the second generation MP Evas, and they simply vanished without a trace. It was always the same modus operandi; no bodies, nothing salvageable, and only the ruins of destroyed trucks or boats remained.

Most alarmingly, this vigilante had begun attacking the convoys closer to home. The above-mentioned ambush occurred just around Innsbruck, Austria, and a Seele observation post was attacked and compromised as well. Innsbruck was only a few hundred miles from Venice. They needed to halt the convoys.

Keel Lorenz was a proud and arrogant man, but he was not stupid. His organization already had enough resources to create a small army of Evas, which was more than enough to overwhelm Nerv. Despite the possibility of a reduction in the number of planned Evas, it would only be a superficial blow. Moreover, he could not risk compromising Instrumentality, and his organization. He was not double faceted, and would not feed his own arrogance at the expense of the plan, unlike one Gendo Ikari.

Even so, despite his organization's advantageous position, this new threat worried him badly; his worries further justified after huge swaths of intelligence were stolen after the Innsbruck site was compromised. And despite the extremely comfortable accomodations at the palazzo, Keel Lorenz failed to sleep that night.

* * *

The battlefield around what used to be Old Tokyo could not have been more aptly described as "Hell on Earth". Ruined buildings littered the area. Broken gas pipes pumped angry flames into the early morning sky, and when the ground shifted, as it usually did, potholes of varying sizes would be created, filled to the brim with sulphuric acid. And when Asuka woke up, surrounded by fire and brimstone, the five-minute timer had started again. Another Lance had snapped the power cable, and the repaired Evas, excepting the one that had been destroyed, were bearing down on her again.

"Fighting in hell against two demons. Sounds fitting", Asuka shouted through the intercom. "But I would like to have at least a backup of some sort. Any more power cables?"

"None!" was Misato's dejected reply. "I'm sorry Asuka! You're on your own!"

"Scheiße. Well, I guess I'll make my final stand here."

The air in both the command room and the cockpit was somber. The Nerv personnel felt as if they had sent a Greek heroine to her death, against a pair of cruel and indomitable monsters. Asuka, accepting her impending demise, willed the last of her courage and charged. The enemy Evas took evasive manoevers, but one still lost its arm to Unit 02's prog knife. Nevertheless, both were unfazed, and impaled Unit 02's leg with a Lance. Within the span of a few seconds, the MP Evas were ready for another attack run, their sadistic grins ready for a bloodbath.

Asuka breathed heavily. The pain was getting unbearable, and she couldn't think clearly. Everything was blurred and diluted.

Maya Ibuki, one of the few remaining technicians at Nerv, quickly lowered the sync ratio in an attempt to decreast the pain. "Sync has decreased from 85% to 35%."

_At least I'll die painlessly. _Asuka thought, grateful for the sync decrease. _Besides, I have no weapons left. I can't fight anymore. I'm just so tired. _She could just tell that the timer had ticked to zero.

A MP Eva, sensing death in the air, dove towards the stricken Unit 02.

Asuka prepared herself for the coup de grace.

And all mayhem broke loose. The attacking enemy had been knocked away by another Eva-type unit, and she could only keep up with the movements of the new 'bogey'. It was fast, brutal, and yet still had an air of augustness to its movements. Asuka's mind couldn't comprehend what was happening.

_Was I just saved?_ A touch of familiar anger flooded over her. _I didn't need to be rescued! I'm not some maiden in distress!_

Yet she could not help but be amazed at the skill of the pilot and the power of his machine. After its initial attack, the unit in question had picked up an Assault rifle lying on the ground and smashed the MP Eva's core with a burst from it at point blank range. Just like the previous Eva, it stumbled slightly and exploded.

Immediately afterwards, the still unidentified bogey quickly spotted the sole remaining Eva. Seizing the opportunity, it quickly grabbed a Lance from nearby and impaled the final enemy. Amazingly, the MP Eva shuddered, and blew up in mid air.

As Asuka got a better view at the 'bogey', she saw that it was…

"Unidentified bogey has been confirmed to be Unit 01!" Maya quickly reported on an open channel.

With an odd mix of fear and excitement, Asuka quickly forced open a video intercom between her cockpit and the cockpit of the now identified Unit 01. "Pilot of Unit 01, this is the pilot of Unit 02! State your intentions…no, identify yourself!"

Via the video channel, she saw a helmeted figure in a black, heavily modified plug suit. The pilot was also wearing a modular combat vest, with multiple weapons holsters all over it. And then he spoke, in a deeper, but familiar voice, tinged with a hint of bitterness; "I have many pseudonyms these days. But I suppose that you'll probably know me best as…"

The pilot removed his helmet. A collective gasp of shock rose from both Nerv Command and the pilot of Evangelion Unit 02.

"Shinji Ikari."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As soon as the pilot's identity and the unit's identity were confirmed, Misato Katsuragi was forced to make a decision.

_Should we trust him, or should we destroy him. We still don't know what his intentions are. Considering his past, it wouldn't be surprising if he has taken up a vendetta against Nerv._

_But he used to be my ward. My responsibility. And what if he came here not to destroy us?_

So instead of making a decisive decision, Major Katsuragi decided to leave the situation in limbo. "Arm the N2 Mines! Target Unit 01 with all armaments currently available, but hold your fire!"

And the same slightly bitter, familiar voice came through. "Misato, long time no see. I understand your decision. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably think about shooting me down as well. But just as a chivalrous warning; my unit can eliminate your defences with ease."

Misato pondered. "That's probably true." _If he came to destroy us, he would have done the deed by now. He hasn't fired a single shot at us yet, so he probably doesn't have any hostile intentions. _"All defence forces, standby! We are now at Alert Two! Disarm the N2 mines!"

The awkwardness in the air still remained however. Misato, in particular was having a hard time containing her emotions. Asuka had willed her unit to block off all transmissions, so that no one can see her emotional outburst.

"So," Shinji asked, "Does this mean that we can have a civil conversation without destroying more of Tokyo?" A nervous laughter quickly followed.

Misato thought about it. She was just about ready to put Shinji in a guillotine for everything that had happened, but agreed to Shinji's offer. "Yes. Dock in Hangar 1-C, your old cage. You are cleared to land."

"Thank you."

Asuka unconsiously headed over to her cage. She had changed batteries, and was dwelling on the past, the present, and the future. _Why is Shinji back? Why did he save me? Where was he for the past two years?_

Some of her old anger came back. "That idiot better have an explanation, or else he's going to have his head stuffed down his neck!" she muttered.

* * *

Misato ran to the hangar 1-C where Unit 01 now resided. Shinji had already exited the entry plug. He was taller, his shoulders were broader, and he had become more muscular. But he hadn't changed so much that his appearance was now strange to those who had known him. He was still unmistakably Shinji.

"Hey Misato. How's life been?"

And Misato crushed him in a bearhug. Tears dropped on Shinji's shoulders as he returned the hug. Misato didn't say a word.

Shinji was speechless momentarily. "Good to…uh…see you too Misato."

Promptly, Misato, still refusing to let go, whispered; "You idiot. Where were you? We were all worried sick about you…"

"Thanks?"

Misato finally released Shinji and laughed. "It's really good to have you back." The awkwardness and tension had disappeared. It was almost like old times.

"I suppose it is. Is Asuka alright?"

Misato breathed. "She's resting in the infirmary." There was a pause. "Do you want to visit her?"

Shinji hesitated. Vestiges of the past came back to haunt him. _I won't make the same mistakes again. _"Yes, let's go."

* * *

Keel Lorenz was usually calm and collected. But after the failure of the attack, the chairman of Seele was absolutely livid.

"Where the hell did Unit 01 come from? I thought the brat was dead, and the wretched thing destroyed! We lost three Eva units, and they ended up losing none!"

"We tried to crack their encryption code, but it was too secure." replied another committee member, "All we know right now is that Unit 01 is backing Nerv. The good thing is, our obsolescent first generation MP Evas have all been wiped out. They still have no idea about our superior second generation units."

"Moreover," the same committee member continued, "maintenance costs are reduced because of the destruction of those dinosaurs. And we've also heavily damaged Unit 02. The convoys have also stopped as per your request. This is a minor setback. Instrumentality has not been derailed yet."

Keel snorted. "You fool. Unit 01 is the only other Eva unit capable of stopping Instrumentality. That's what happened last time. As long as it's in existence, Instrumentality cannot be initiated."

The committee member sighed. His name was Raphael Nieto. He used to be the military dictator of Venezuela, before the United States ousted him. The coup left him bitter, and he saw Instrumentality as a method of revenge. Somehow all the other committee members had been shouted into silence. _Cowards._ "Then we destroy it, with our twenty-five second-generation units. I'll organize the attack this time, so that your most revered majesty will no longer be frightened of a seventeen year old boy." A few committee members snickered, but Keel's glare silenced them.

"Sarcasm aside, Nieto, I'll leave you in charge of the second attack. You know the price of failure."

"I know Keel. Except I won't fail."

* * *

Having changed out of his combat gear, Shinji changed into his school uniform. It looked exactly the same as his old uniform, only larger. Shinji looked at his old fatigues disdainfully, and shoved them in his locker. The uniform reminded Shinji of the old days, which inevitably always led to his brooding on the discoveries he made during his vigilante phase

He was troubled. _I need to decypher that information I extracted from Innsbruck. There are too many loose ends. _Shinji knew that Seele still existed, and knew their goals for the future of post Third Impact Earth. Yet he had a feeling, a suspicion that Seele were now following a different path towards Instrumentality.

_Kaji warned me about something concerning an object called Mandelbrot's box._

Yes, Kaji had been revived, though his physical body had died long before Third Impact. His soul had somehow reconstructed his body utilizing LCL. Shinji presumed it was also via this route in which so many had been revived. Kaji promptly moved to Russia, far away from any area where he might have had previous affilations. There, he lived under a pseudonym. Shinji, after retrieving Unit 01 from orbit, had bunked with Kaji in Russia, and there, Kaji essentially served as Shinji's intelligence officer.

Shinji knew that he needed to talk to Misato about Kaji soon. But having lived with a spy for two and a half years developed a sixth sense, a saving paranoia in Shinji. He knew how to check for bugs, and also knew how to read faces. Considering the fact that many people were eyeing him and the ever-present security cameras all over the place, Nerv HQ was definitely not a place to be discussing confidential information.

Either way, Shinji knew he had to see Asuka first. She was the first and foremost reason why he had intervened in the battle. Kaji had warned him of the dangers, but nevertheless encouraged him to follow his own convictions.

"_It is vain to fight without cause._" he had said, "_That cause must be significant in itself, and without any conditions attached. That cause must be something tangible, something that drives your life. My cause was finding the truth. It still is. And from my short time accompanying Asuka Langley Soryu, despite her childish advances and perpetual stubborness, I can confidently state that she is a fitting motivation._"

Shinji sighed. He wasn't sure of how Asuka would react. Suddenly, he heard the door slam open, and Shinji instinctively reached for his pistol.

"My god. Two years away and you've turned into a spook." Misato's voice rang out. Shinji relaxed considerably. "Just checking if you were done changing. I'm getting slightly impatient."

"Sorry. I was thinking about some things."

"Okay, don't take too long."

Shinji sat down. He began feeling empty again.

* * *

Antonin Kamarov, also known as Ryoji Kaji, sat down at his computer and immediately disguised his IP address with a complex proxy. He began copying information from Seele's networks while hidden behind the proxy. This method of obtaining information was completely invisible. The information was for himself, and Shinji Ikari.

Shinji left, protecting another one of his previous wards from certain death. Kaji had encouraged him to go, to follow his heart. _Just because you're a spook doesn't mean you can't have a strong sense of truth and justice._

He laughed at the thought. It caused him to reminince about his arrival. When he arrived at the village, most villagers thought he was a Eurasian, and therefore foreign. They distrusted him, and were on the verge of compromising him to the re-established Russian government. Then Shinji came along with his Evangelion, and the villagers distrusted him even more. That animosity continued until Shinji wiped out a kleptocratic warlord bent on destroying the village. Trust ensued, and friendship came soon afterwards.

He had learned a lot from Shinji. He had rid himself of the duplicity that killed him, and he now pursued his quest for truth with a greater sense of mission. Shinji had also taught him loyalty and trust. Kaji was still cynical, but was rapidly taking on a more positive outlook on life.

Kaji's green thumb provided Shinji with fresh ingredients to cook with. He had formed a fatherly relationship with Shinji that filled a hole in the boy who never really had any parents. Kaji taught him how to fire several types of weapons, as well as a complex and effective form of self-defence, as well as several espionage techniques Kaji had picked up on the job. But sabotaging Seele took its toll on the boy's mind, especially after the Stockholm incident. Shinji had tried to disarm an airplane bomb, which had been planted to assasinate the UN Security Council chairman. He had been ambushed, however, and though he survived, he failed to board the plane and disarm the bomb. The chairman and few hundred unlucky souls died in the attack.

Shinji blamed himself for the tragedy, despite Kaji's assurances that it was not his responsibility. Kaji knew very well the nature of the business; it will always eventually consume a part of you. It was information concerning Asuka's return to Nerv that had froze Shinji's blood, and which had motivated him to return to Japan.

Kaji sighed. All he could take comfort in this whole affair was that Shinji at least had a mission and a goal, and that he wasn't being manipulated anymore. He himself felt a little forlorn, as he thought about his abandoned love.

"Misato. I'm coming back soon."

* * *

Asuka woke up, feeling groggy under the influence of morphine. Even with the painkillers present, her leg still felt awful. As usual, there were no signs of physical injuries, since her sync ratio had not been high enough, but her pain receptors were still overloading.

"Damned leg." She pondered for a second. "Did Shinji really appear, or was it just a dream?"

"I'd say not." Shinji walked in the hospital room.

Asuka looked at him. He still had a few traces of youth throughout his face, but he was definitely older. But Asuka was not one to be subtle. With a ruthless immediacy, she asked.

"Why did you leave?"

"Because I was being hunted."

Asuka frowned. His trademark stutter was gone. She pressed on.

"By whom?"

"By Seele. I ruined their plans for Instrumentality. They wanted revenge. I had to disappear. Otherwise, they'd kill both me and you."

"Why didn't you take me with you. I thought we were going to make it through together. I thought I wasn't going to be abandoned again." She bit back tears.

"You weren't abandoned. I stayed until Nerv came back to reclaim HQ. Misato was leading the charge. I knew she'd take care of you, so I stayed only until the day the troops stormed in."

"That's not the same. I cared about you."

Shinji's eyes widened. A hint of childish embarassment covered his face. Asuka, realizing the impact of what she had said, quickly backtracked. "I mean, as a colleague, and a brother in arms, obviously."

"Obviously."

Shinji looked at the time. "Well it seems that I'll be staying as a contractor of sorts, but I've got nowhere to stay."

"You've got your old room. It'll just be like the old days."

At this impending prospect, Shinji smiled. "Asuka, I'll explain the rest to you when you get better, but for right now, I just wanted to say that I really missed you." Shinji squeezed her hand, and left, leaving behind a bewildered Asuka. Despite her cold façade, she felt warm inside.

"Idiot. He missed me."

* * *

The sniper found an excellent vantage point from the building. He could get a clear shot on any occupants within the apartment.

Committee member Nieto, who wanted to try to kill the pilots before storming Nerv, ordered the killing. The sniper was glad to take up the assignment. It was a well-paying job. But it was the essence of the kill that really appealed to him.

Hunting and killing. It broke man down to his primary senses. Life had been reduced from infinite complexity to simply life and death.

The sniper viewed his target, not as a human being, but a collection of organs. He was a surgeon, one who would perform a simple surgery on the target that would ensure that Seele would have no more problems.

He breathed, enjoying the feel of the stock against his shoulder, and prepared himself for the kill.

Spotting the target, he also saw a girl come in with him. _If I can, I can eliminate both pilots_, he thought. The girl was on the right. He had a better view of the right. So the sniper decided to take out the girl first, then quickly fire another shot at the boy. _Light is fading. I think I need my laser designator._ The sniper flicked it on.

All of a sudden, the boy tensed up. The sniper instinctively fired a shot, but the boy had pushed the girl out of the way and took the bullet in the side. The boy immediately pulled out a heavily modified USP, and spotted the sniper. He promptly began firing at the assassin.

_I've been compromised. I've failed. Damn it! _The sniper quickly packed his equipment, and ran into the night.

* * *

Shinji Ikari had been shot before. However, he had never been shot and not having captured or killed the shooter in the immediate aftermath.

He wasn't about to let this night be any different.

As he clutched his side, he saw Asuka, still slightly in shock, and shaking from fear. Realizing the threat to her safety, Shinji remembered some of the stuff Kaji had taught him.

"Asuka. Go to your room, and lock the front door, the balcony, and the windows. Stay hidden. I'll call Misato informing her about the situation. If this apartment is breached, you can use this. Here." Shinji tossed an extra gun to Asuka.

"Shinji." Asuka whispered.

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

Despite the pain he was in, Shinji managed to smile. Then, grimacing, he checked his gun, and headed out into the rain.

Asuka, in her room, started to regain some aspects of her old personality. _God. He's grown a spine, hasn't he?_ Much of her old indignation began to come back. Even though she was nearly overcome with worry, she started to feel like Asuka Langley Soryu again. It was almost as if Shinji's return had completed her in some way.

_I guess it's a grudging mutual respect, _she thought, _or is it something more?_

She frowned. She knew that their relationship went far beyond mutual respect, but she had never considered mutual attraction. Even when she was caught up in misery after Shinji's departure, she had never once considered the question.

Forgetting entirely the incident with the assassin, Asuka thought to herself.

_What do I actually feel?

* * *

_

The sniper was frightened.

Carrying a MP5 submachine gun in his trenchcoat, the sniper had hoped that he could be extracted easily, without any problems, despite his failure. Unfortunately for him, he could just spot an armed figure in a tactical vest in the darkness, and through the rain.

_What the hell is he doing? I can't see him properly!_

Shinji, having made some rudimentary bandages from toilet paper, had taken out his combat gear and equipped a G36C assault rifle as well as his trusty USP. It was dark, and visibility was practically zero. Despite this, Shinji had already spotted the sniper, and already had a clear shot with his assault rifle. However, Shinji wanted to see how this bastard was being extracted.

All of a sudden, Shinji saw a flash, and ducked instinctively, as a burst of 9mm bullets flew by. _So he's seen me as well._ Shinji promptly returned fire with the assault rifle, deliberately missing. The sniper gave up trying to engage Shinji and ran.

Shinji, knowing that he could not catch up while injured, began using the fire escapes and rooftops to match the sniper's speed. Another slew of tracers hit the handrails of one of the fire escapes. Shinji then noticed something; the sniper was nearing an abandoned parking lot. In essence, it would have been a perfect urban landing zone, but there was no helicopter. _If he's already that close, why isn't the extraction chopper already there?_ Then, it hit him.

_They've left him to die. They're not bothering with the extraction of a failure._

Armed with this knowledge, and still ignoring the pain in his side, Shinji slowly and deliberately took aim and incapacitated the sniper with a shot to the knee. The target groaned and collapsed. Shinji quickly jumped down from the roof of the tenement and took out his USP. The sniper tried to retrieve his MP5, but Shinji promptly shot it away.

Shinji approached the man. He looked pale, but still full of defiance. Shinji grabbed him by the collar.

"Who are you?" he growled, "Why did you try to take my colleague's life?"

The sniper sniggered. Shinji's anger rose steadily.

"She wasn't the target. You were. You probably understand why you were to be killed."

Shinji shot the man in the other knee. A bloodcurdling scream resulted. The rage that had prompted the berserker mode in Unit 01 was rising.

"Who ordered it? Tell me!"

The man tried to spit in Shinji's face, and missed.

Shinji grabbed him once again, and slammed him against a nearby wall.

"I don't have time for fun and games, bastard. I want answers. Your buddies have deserted you; left you to your miserable fate. I'll give you one last chance, and Section 2 will take care of you instead. They're more lenient than I am. So, who ordered it?"

The sniper thought for a minute. The pain was clouding his judgment, and a warm hospital bed seemed appealing. Plus, the guy was right; Seele had abandoned him. He held no loyalty towards the bastards now. "It was Seele. Specifically, a committee member; Raphael Nieto, personally ordered the killing. Said he wanted to soften up Nerv's defences before his attack in May…"

Shinji tried to make sense of the impending attack, and how the assasination attempt coincided with it. "You've got a brain, buddy. I don't have much more time to deal with you, so I'll hand you over to Section 2. I'll tell them you were cooperative, so that they're not too harsh on you."

Almost on cue, a Section 2 armored SUV screeched into sight. A Section 2 agent stepped out. "Mr. Ikari, this is the man you were talking about?"

"Yes. He's more than willing to divulge information. He's a low-level operative, but he's got valuable intelligence. Go easy on him, he's in a bad way…"

"Understood, Mr. Ikari. Thanks for the help." The agent stepped back in, gestured for two other agents to load the sniper up, and the SUV roared off into the night.

Shinji watched the vehicle disappear. He didn't tell the agents about his injury, thinking that it was a mild scratch, and was now regretting his decision. _A ride back would sound great at the moment. _Despite the continual rain, Shinji checked his bandages. _Oh shit…_

The wound was much more severe than he had thought. It was deep, and jagged. Shinji wondered how he did not realize the seriousness of the wound earlier. He was losing too much blood, and now that the adrenaline began to wear out, he was also experiencing extreme pain. As a result, he could barely walk.

Shinji fumbled for his cell phone. He was losing more and more blood by the second. The bandages had already broken. He had just managed to dial Misato's number, and a very worried Asuka picked up the phone.

"Hello? Hello? Shinji! Are you alright?"

Shinji smiled despite himself. He tried to speak, but his mouth wasn't really functioning. "Asuka…"

And everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The atmosphere in the Ca d'Oro was tense and hostile. Raphael Nieto nervously tapped his hands on the table. Keel was silently brooding on the possible ramifications, as well as the fitting punishments.

"Sitting here silently isn't going to help us," a voice rasped. "Punishments can be doled out later. Should we act now, or should we follow the original schedule, as determined by Mandelbrot's box?"

The speaker's name was Rahul Taing. He was a small man, but also very ruthless, one of the reasons why he was chosen to be on the committee. He was also the chairman of Bhishma Pharmaceutical Corp. Bhishma contained a massive laboratory, and it had been chosen as the "factory" for the MP Evas.

"I can reschedule the attack for late April instead." Nieto replied. "The 'box' can compensate for my operational failure. Instrumentality can still continue without delay. By the way, Taing, are the MP Evas ready yet?"

"No. Bhishma has completed twenty-three units."

Nieto's rage burned. "Your technicians are lazy Asses! Tell them to speed it up! I need those units completed for the attack next week!"

"SILENCE!" Keel stood up. "Nieto, you short-sighted half-wit! The reason why your useless units aren't finished is because I've ordered Taing to switch priority to the _Throne_!

There were a few minutes of silence. Then, Nieto grumbled. "Fine, just get my units finished as quickly as possible. I want Nerv out of the picture."

"Fine," sneered Taing, "Don't fail this time, Mr. Warlord."

Nieto glared at the tycoon. Keel, obviously frustrated and exhausted, stood up once again.

"This meeting is over."

* * *

"I hate this ceiling."

Shinji was gazing at the same ceiling he had gazed at so many times before. It was still the same grey, bland color. Emotionless, hateful, consuming. He hated that ceiling with a vengeance. Suddenly, there was a ringing sound. Shinji saw that his laptop was sitting on a hospital tray. Quickly turning on a proxy, Shinji saw that he had a message from Kaji. Though it only had been four days, Kaji seemed to have been from a million years ago. The passage of time was extremely disorienting. Shinji opened the message.

_Hey Shinji,_

_Heard you got shot. Next time, don't underestimate a gunshot wound._

Shinji grinned. Only Kaji could find out such things without even talking to anybody.

_I'm on the verge of a major breakthrough. Don't worry about a possible compromise; this message is encrypted._

Shinji continued reading, enjoying the comfort of absolute privacy.

_There's a big bioengineering corporation in India. It's called Bhishma. Huge complex. It's got around 140,000 employees. But that's not interesting. What's interesting is that its chairman is a prominent member of Seele. His name is Rahul Taing._

_He's commandeered the enormous laboratory for a project of "utmost importance." In essence, he's constructing the second-generation batch of Mass-Production Evas. Twenty-three have already been completed. They're planning to attack in late April, after the guy you captured squealed._

Shinji's blood froze. Kaji had said there would be twenty-three Eva units. Moreover, the attack would happen within a week's time. He was just about ready to get into his entry plug, but decided to finish reading the message.

_But even that's not that surprising. They were planning on constructing twenty-five units, but the last two units have been given hardly any priority. Seele is concentrating on a new project. It's codenamed 'Throne', I think. It's essentially a superior Evangelion unit. But I've learned much more about the previously obscure 'Mandelbrot's box'._

_Mandelbrot's box is essentially a quantum biomass super computer. It organizes information in terms of fractals. What this essentially means is that it is presented with an infinite number of possibilities and it comes up with a 100% possibility scenario. This is how Seele gains its intelligence. The only flaw it has is the human handling the simulations provided. One mistake can invalidate the entire simulation. Even so, it's far superior to the Magi._

_What Seele are planning to do however, in order to eliminate the box's Achille's heel, is integrate Mandelbrot's box to the Throne. The Throne would be entirely unbinded, controlled through inputs in Mandelbrot's box. Because it's unbinded, the Throne can therefore evolve, and has infinite power potential. That, combined with the infinite knowledge of Mandelbrot's box, is supposed to create a final result. Currently, it is codenamed 'Providence.'_

_Fourth Impact is going to be the merging of Throne with Mandelbrot's box. Since Seele is going to technically be in control of Providence, they will become 'God'. In that event, the AT-Field generated by Providence will consume the ego borders of all matter on Earth. I don't know how Seele will deal with that. In essence, Terrestrial life on Earth will end. The oceans, the atmosphere, and even Earth's surface area will be turned to LCL. And Providence will become the sole sentient being on Earth. _

_I have no idea where Unit 01 is in relation to all this. I'll try and continue my fact-finding mission. But obviously, it seems Unit 01 has a power that can sabotage Instrumentality, so when the attack comes, just survive._

_Good Luck,_

_Ryoji Kaji_

"Sorry, Kaji," Shinji sighed aloud, "Unit 01 will survive, but I'm almost sure I'm not. Anyways, Unit 01 is the one that's important, not me."

_Why did I stop Third Impact? Why did I keep fighting? Is it now my time to die?_

The door opened. Shinji sat up.

Asuka's face was contorted with anger.

"You idiot!" she screamed, "What the hell were you thinking? It was bad enough that you pursued the bastard on foot with a hole in your stomach. But after…that frankly stupid action, you also refused to seek medical attention? That must have been the most shortsighted, idiotic act in the history of mankind! No…no…it was the call. That was my _favorite_ bit, you know. You wouldn't answer, and then at the last minute you whispered my name in the most dramatic way possible. Then, despite all my shouting, there was nothing but silence. How the hell was I supposed to feel?" She paused, then grabbed Shinji by the collar and began shaking him violently. "You inconsiderate idiot!"

"Ow…oww…Asuka, I'm so…"

"Finish that sentence and I'll rip out your tongue." The infamous anger of Asuka Langley Soryu had reared its proud head in all its glory.

In the face of this display of threats and violence, Shinji reverted to his former apologetic attitude. "I'm sorry," he gasped.

Asuka looked at him, with her sea blue eyes. They had become the eyes Shinji had gotten used to, and they were the ones that made him flinch. They had thunder and lighting in them. But something odd happened; those eyes turned cloudy. And Asuka cried.

Shinji, completely caught offguard, held Asuka in his arms as he cried; all the while thinking about why he came back. It wasn't helping out a colleague; no, it didn't even count as saving a friend. He saw Asuka as a source of strength; an unfailing beacon of perseverence. He genuinely smiled for the first time in weeks. But that smile quickly disappeared as Shinji realized what had just happened. It felt almost as bad as the throbbing wound in his side. _What the hell? How the…holy shit…_

He had banged his head on the gurney, but he barely registered the pain in his daze. Asuka, still in his arms, noticed the awkwardness of the situation and quickly escaped from his hold.

"Pervert!" she shouted, "Idiot!"

Still, she didn't leave the room. The truth was, she didn't feel violated while in his embrace. She felt comfortable, warm, protected…

_Loved._

She quickly shook the thought out of her head. _Scheiße…I musn't think that way._

Meanwhile, Shinji gazed at her with a renewed conviction. _This is why I still fight. I'll willingly give up my life for her. So, this is what love feels like..._

And Shinji, despite Asuka's protests, held her tightly again.

* * *

Antonin Kamarov is dead, the villagers reported. They said they'd lynched him, for trying to violate one of their women. They said he was a tainted foreigner.

The Russian intelligence officer was one of the few people in the world who knew Antonin Kamarov was actually Ryoji Kaji, and he wasn't ready to betray him. He had worked with Kaji a couple of times in the past. Now, there was a global manhunt for the man who had pulled of an intelligence coup a few days ago. He had made the mistake of disabling his proxy a few seconds too early, and the entire world was in an uproar.

The officer filed the report. Tribal killings were actually commonplace, and as many villages lack telecommunication devices, they could claim they lynched him before the news reports hit the air, vanquishing any accusation of disreputability. The best thing was, there was no picture of 'Antonin Kamarov'. And there was no link between the false identity and the real one. 'Antonin Kamarov' could be American for all Interpol knew.

The missing face walked in, blinded by the blizzard. He faced hid back towards the sole security camera. The officer looked up.

"Mr. Yezhin. Here is your pre-prepared passport and visa. I wish you a safe and comfortable journey."

The man, still facing his backside toward the camera, simply whispered, "I owe you, Nikolai."

The officer nodded. He handed the documents to the man. 'Yezhin' on the other hand, passed an envelope to Nikolai. "Make sure you get it to the village. It's the least I can do for them. Please just do me this final favor." Nikolai nodded again, and the man flashed his former colleague a grateful smile before rushing out into the Siberian cold. Nikolai sighed.

"Good luck, Kaji."

* * *

Asuka looked out the window on the train. Mt. Fuji looked as magnificent as ever.

Ever since Shinji came back, her life had disintegrated into an emotional roller coaster. She always thought she was the mature one, the independent one, and the one with the spine. And it wasn't just self-motivational; it had always been that way.

Yet Shinji Ikari had taken on that role. He seemed so much worldlier, so much more enlightened. But he looked as if though he was bitter about the whole affair, and Asuka would be lying if she said she didn't worry about the hurt in his eyes.

Then again, Asuka too was troubled. _Why are the MP Evas back? Who tried to attack us?_ Before, she would have followed her orders without so much a flinch. Now, she had her doubts. _There are so many gaps, so many blank spaces. _The train was nearing Narita airport. When she could on the weekends, Asuka rode this train, if only so that she could have a quiet and clean place to contemplate.

"May I sit here?" a familiar voice rang out. Asuka remembered it well, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Sure." Usually, she would've made an excuse that the seat was taken, so her privacy wouldn't be disturbed, but this voice intrigued her. Then, she saw his face, and there was a moment of instant recognition.

"Thank you. I'm not sure if you remember me, but if not, I'm…"

"Ryoji Kaji." He quickly shushed her, and nodded.

"Actually, it's Ivan Yezhin. I met you a few years ago while on a business trip. By the way, do you mind if I close these berth doors?"

"Not at all."

"Thank you." Kaji closed the doors, and quickly checked the floor and the roof for any bugs. Then, he took out a paste, and smeared the edges of the door with it, to prevent eavesdroppers. Determining the berth to be safe, Kaji sat back down again. Looking at Asuka's face, he quickly interjected. "It's great to see you too, Asuka, but we're still going to have to keep it quiet."

"What are you doing here Kaji? Where've you been?"

"Russia. I had set up my own intelligence operation in an obscure village. I was just compromised, so now I'm back."

Asuka pondered. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about the earlier attacks, do you?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. And so does Shinji. He's my partner in crime, you know. God, that lovable bastard…"

"What?" Asuka squinted her eyes, "What do you mean? Hmm...now that you're here, you'd better explain the whole story."

Kaji sighed. There was still two hours left in the train journey. Shrugging his shoulders, he began, "Well, here's how it happened…"

* * *

Shinji looked at the purple and green behemoth in front of him. He had come here, to the hangar first, for reasons unknown even to him. Looking at the awesome beast, Shinji contemplated the upcoming battle. _One week. One week until beginning of the end of the world._

"What are you doing?" Shinji looked around. It was Misato. Shinji sighed.

"I suppose Section 2 have already told you about the attack in a week."

"They have."

"Twenty-three Evagelion units. We don't have enough strength to counter them."

"I'm pretty sure we don't. But we'll fight anyways."

"Why are you going to fight?" Shinji looked at his Eva unit. "It's going to be bloody."

"We fight to protect. I suppose…" Misato wondered, "It's not so dependent on the guarantee of success or failure, but rather our responsibility to the world. Nerv was originally created to protect, not to be an appendage for Seele. In the coming battle, Nerv will fulfill its true purpose, whether we succeed or we fail."

"That's idealistic. But I guess it's a fitting motivation."

"Speaking of which," Misato asked, "Why did you come back?"

"Asuka…" Shinji's face had turned a slight shade of red. "I wanted to keep her safe."

Misato was about to say more, but stopped. _I'll let them figure it out. _

And the two sat there in peaceful silence.

* * *

"The body of the Throne is nearly complete. All we need to do is to insert the housing for the box."

"Very good Taing," Keel smirked, "If you keep this up, we can compensate for any anomalies caused by the resurrection of Unit 01."

Nieto fumed. "Are my final Eva units ready?"

"They are. You should be thankful that they were nearly finished when we began construction on the Throne."

Satisfied, the former junta leader sat back, and waited for the others to speak.

"I believe you've all heard of the intelligence leak we've had." Keel stated. "He apparently died in a lynching in some Russian village. Unfortunately, we can't spare the time to verify his death, but just in case, I'd change the coding of our messages."

"That would be wise. We can't afford another compromise." another committee member agreed, "Thankfully, the _Anastasis _memo only contained basic details about Throne and Mandelbrot's box. Otherwise, they might piece together true nature of Mandelbrot's box."

"The Throne is merely a vessel for the box." Gaurav Batra was the member in charge of the metaphysical implications of the project. "They currently think that it is Throne that provides the power of Providence. They will therefore focus on Throne."

"What's your point Batra?" Keel snorted, "You're stating the obvious."

"The main reason why I am talking right now is because of the threat Unit 01 poses to us. The Throne, once completed, can operate without the box. I'd like to keep it as a backup in case Nieto's offense fails."

Nieto stood up and unholstered his gun. Keel glared at him and ordered him to sit back down.

"In fact, Nieto's offense could very well fail. Considering the ease in which Unit 01 dispatched your precious MP Eva units the last time, it may dispatch your 'improved' versions with the same ease."

Raphael Nieto was slightly foaming at the mouth. _This santimonious bastard ought to be shot! _"Keep your mouth shut, Batra!"

Batra smiled and turned away, ignoring Nieto's threats of violence. _There's no worry, since Nieto himself will soon rest at the bottom of a Venetian lagoon._

_

* * *

_

"I'm home!"

The familiar call briefly halted Asuka's deliberations. She had set up an enormous whiteboard, sketching quantum models, trying to determine the true function and origin of Mandelbrot's box, according to what Kaji had told her. The spy, in fact, was squatted next to her. "Hey Shinji. Look at who I brought home today!" Asuka happily responded.

Shinji stared at Kaji for a few seconds. Then, he broke the silence. "It's good to have you back, old man."

Kaji returned the greeting. "Likewise. But it seems you forgot what I taught you about getting shot."

"And you've obviously forgotten your own rules about staying hidden." Shinji had seen the wanted signs posted all over town.

Both men chuckled, as Asuka glared at them. Deciding that it would be useless to argue, she turned back to her equations. "I've essentially figured out the structure of the box. The 'box' itself is just a mold of volcanic silica from the aftermath of Third Impact, a vessel for the quanta to reside."

Shinji narrowed his eyes. "I'm assuming that Kaji filled you in on Mandelbrot's box."

The reply was quick and instinctive. "What do you think, idiot? I don't exactly have access to an enormous intelligence network. Plus, Kaji's a real man. He doesn't hide secrets, unlike one Shinji Ikari." Asuka immediately snorted in indignation.

Shinji sighed. Despite the fact that he had only been back for about three days, he was already getting used to the insults. "So, about the box, we've only uncovered some of its operation methods. Moreover, we can't figure anything out about another project they're focusing on. It's called Throne, and we were thinking that it was the other element to form Providence."

Asuka frowned. "No. The Throne is of relative importance. It is a body, in which controlled Instrumentality is initiated. I suppose Seele wanted a new vessel for its 'God'. The truth is, a modified MP Eva unit would have done the job."

Kaji shook his head. "Clever diversion. All that secrecy around Throne was all a dupe. Still, now we know where to start."

"Yes, we do," Asuka replied, "By first uncovering what fits in that pyramidal indent. The given mass and the given dimensions for the perfect cube shape don't coincide, and I've done some calculations to compensate for the missing mass. That indent is the result."

"I think I know." Shinji quickly remembered something that had caught his eye a while back. "I'm going to stop decyphering more information on Throne, and shift my focus to 'Project Chiffre'. I think that may be the key to this thing."

Kaji stood up. "Looks like another all-nighter. Shinji, we have work to do." Shinji nodded and stood up as well. Then, he paused.

"Thank you, Asuka. For all your help." Shinji nervously smiled, then went on his way. What he didn't notice was the color Asuka's visage had turned. Her face almost matched her hair.

"Idiot." Embarassed by her lack of control over her feelings, Asuka continued piecing together the puzzle of Mandelbrot's box.

* * *

Misato came home late that evening. She had to fill out more paperwork concerning the battle in the ruins of Old Tokyo. _Only 46 more files to go…_

Misato sighed in exhaustion. She didn't even bother to turn on the lights. Even in the darkness, she could make out the silhouette of Shinji slumped over his computer and piles of notes. Asuka was sleeping on the ground, covered by a thin blanket. Beside her was a huge whiteboard, covered with equations, diagrams, and graphs on both sides.

"You know what? Screw it. I'm sleeping on the couch tonight." Misato stumbled over to the couch, finding a thick blanket already covering it, crumpled into a large mound. Satisfied, Misato fell on the couch, and yelped out in surprise. The culprit, equally surprised, froze and tumbled off the couch, blankets and all.

The hotheaded Nerv officer was just about to pull out her service pistol before hearing a painfully familiar voice. "Misato…"

"Kaji?" Misato could barely believe her ears.

"Yeah, it's me. I was going to wait for you to come back, but I guess I fell asleep. Seele changed the codes, so Shinji and me had to spend some extra time cracking their new cipher. Sorry about that. I must have given you quite a fright."

"What are you doing here? How are you still alive?"

"Well, in answer to your first question, I was compromised in Russia. This is my only other safehouse now. My answer to the second would be Third Impact."

"Are you planning to stay here for the long term?"

"Yeah. It's a nice place, with a good view over the city. Plus, I can plant a rooftop garden."

"Why?" Misato inquired, with a small flicker of hope, "And don't give me that 'good property' bullshit. I want to know the real reason."

"I was hoping you'd get to that." And Kaji stood up, strided over to her, and kissed her.

Misato was in a state of bewilderment, and thus could only get our single words. "What…? How…?"

"Just be quiet. Everything is going to be fine now." Kaji continued holding her, and the two adults locked themselves in the embrace.

* * *

As he watched his Evas loaded onto the submarine, Raphael Nieto could not suppress a sense of awe at the sight.

The submarine was a modified Typhoon-class ballistic missile submarine. The nuclear missiles were gone, however. The Cold War was over, and the political transitions after Third Impact were surprisingly peaceful. Nuclear weapons were no longer needed, so the mighty Typhoon was to be scrapped.

Nieto had bought it at the last second, via a third party, and refurbished it as an underwater battleship. Depth charge launchers dotted the front and the back of the behemoth. Kinetic penetration SAMs lined the sides of the sub. The original torpedo tubes were replaced with three internal weapons bays packed with various anti-ship munitions. Armored box launchers for launching cruise missiles were subtly hidden into the submarine's superstructure.

But it was the former missile tubes that had been changed most drastically. They had been converted into catapults for launching Evas. The twenty tubes ensured that the Evas would be deployed without delay. The massive submarine was a fitting carrier for the final twenty-five Evangelion units.

Five Akula-class hunter-killer submarines, and six Sovremenny destroyers would supplement the underwater carrier as an escort. Three Kiev-class cruiser-aircraft carriers would also join the already impressive fleet. With the addition of the aircraft carriers, Seele's strike force would also have the capability obtain air superiority to completely annhilate Nerv's defences.

Raphael Nieto gazed upon the great fleet, and shifted his gaze to the Evangelions. They were dark grey in color, with some orange partitions throughout the body. They now had autocannons in their hands, and were now equipped with an improved, laser guided copy of the Lance of Longinus. The second-generation Evangelions were better protected as well, having 9.5 cm titanium plates protecting the core.

The Seele warlord smiled a smile of triumph and confidence as he boarded the Typhoon. A three-day voyage to Japan, and mayhem will break loose. His Evas, his ships, his submarines…

_Nothing could stop him now._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So far, I'm planning on completing the story, and giving it a solid conclusion. However, the storyline has already violently deviated from its original vision, and it shows. There are also multiple uses of awkward phrases and words, as well as a few grammatical errors. So after the completion of "The More Things Change", I might do a redux of the original story, so that it consummates the current ideas, as the original idea of a conventional war comprised solely of Evas against a petty Seele, just did not seem to do justice. **

**I know that Shinji seems to be completely OOC so far, and I'm sorry. But Third Impact was an extremely traumatic event, and we musn't forget that Shinji's old method of docility nearly fulfilled Third Impact. If Shinji's goal in this story were to eliminate Seele, it would only be reasonable that he would try to at least suppress his old emotions. Moreover, in a hostile world, toughness may be a survival mechanism that he has to develop. Even so, I'll delve more into Shinji's true nature in this chapter.**

**I know I've already written too many notes in this chapter, but if somebody could PM me explaining the functions of my account, I'd greatly appreciate it. Also, if possible, please continue to review to help a struggling new writer grow. For those of you who already did, thank you. And I'll sign off right here.**

**-Framework**

**Chapter 4**

_2 years ago:_

The terrifying rhythm of shellfire drew closer to the building. The vibrations were already shaking the structure's foundations. Shinji cringed. The power had already been cut, and Shinji had to move Asuka to the lower bunks where the ever-present LCL kept the rooms warm.

Asuka. She was sleeping, and she had just begun to regain some of her speech and motor functions. _God, she looks fragile. And so…beautiful…_

Shinji pushed the thought out of his head. As far as he was concerned, this would probably be the last time he would ever see her. He needed to place Asuka in a safe zone, a place where the ricochets and the breaching charges of the assault troops would not injure her. He found a near intact bunk, jutting in a concrete partition, and far away from the Eva's hangars and the fortifications. It was safe, and would probably be ignored by the troops. Then, he frowned. _She still needs medical attention._

Grabbing his USP, Shinji started towards Central Dogma. He had found multiple shortcuts that reduced the distance considerably. Once in Central Dogma, he started for the Command Center, searching for a communications set he could hack into. Within minutes, he found Makoto Hyuga's old headset. Shinji turned it on, and began cracking the Nerv encryption code. "Zzzzz…Cleared blocks 35-43…zzzzzz…shoot intruders on sight."

Shinji smiled. Recognizing Misato's voice, he could be assured that Asuka would be in good hands. He turned on the headset's voice distortion feature, and began speaking to Misato.

"Major Katsuragi. There is an injured person in Medical Berth 27-C. She is not hostile. Do not shoot on sight."

There was some alarmed chatter at the other end, but eventually the expected answer came through. "Zzzzzz…standby…identify! State…zzzzzz…intentions!"

"That doesn't matter. Just remember my instructions. I'm cutting the connection."

An angered mumble flew out of the headset. Shinji turned it off. He began to turn off the improvised booby traps he had set up for Seele agents as well as Instrumentality sympathizers. _This was the end, as well as the beginning._

He would destroy Seele. His weakness and indecisiveness had cost many lives. _I musn't run away. I'll never run away again. I'll fight. I'll fight until the bitter end._

Asuka would be okay. Since Misato now knew where she was, Asuka would be safe, and sheltered, far away from the world of Seele and their grandiose plans for revived Instrumentality. He would fight alone. He could fight alone. As he hid in the forests of the Geofront, he gazed at the enormous Unit-01 in the sky. It was no longer petrified. Shinji knew what he had to do.

_I'm sorry Asuka. _Struggling to keep his emotions at bay, Shinji Ikari ran into the night.

* * *

Present:

And Shinji woke up, the memories still vivid in his head. He sat for a while, and then discovered that he was bathed in sweat.

"Damn it!"

It was another sign, that Shinji Ikari, despite his training and his bravado, was still frightened. It was fear; fear not of Instrumentality, but of life. He was scared of Misato, was scared of Asuka, and was scared of Kaji sometimes._ I don't want anyone to hate me._ The same mindset that had consumed him as a child began consuming him now.

Getting up, Shinji took a shower._ The attack will come soon. Will I still be scared then? _

Private moments. He remembered the multiple times Asuka had just closed the door on him, and he on her. They were times to ponder; to brood. It was during these moments that a person could take off their armor, and unearth dark and candid truths.

_Why did I try and copy Kaji? Because Asuka admires Kaji. Why do I care about what Asuka thinks? Because I love her. I don't want her to hate me._

Shinji knew this was another sign of weakness, another sign of humanity. He cursed. _I'm not scared. I'm not scared. I'm not scared…_

_But I am expendable._

Asuka was definitely powerful enough to defeat Seele. Coupled with Kaji's information, Seele would be history. He didn't need to find the truth. He was no longer needed. He had served his part. And it made him happy. To Asuka, he was simply a comrade in arms. _Asuka would be proud. So I will fulfill my purpose. I will ensure that Asuka will be happy. I shall no longer be a factor in her life. To accomplish that, I shall die._

_I will die in the coming battle. I will die a warrior, and in death, my fears will be quelled. In death, I will never be hated, or feel hate, ever again. And Asuka's life will become simpler, her questions answered. I am unnecessary._

Shinji smiled. He smiled a melancholy smile, stepped out of the shower and dressed. He looked at the clock.

_4:15. I guess none of them is awake yet._

Shinji prepared a cold breakfast for three. He picked up his coat, and left out the front door. He needed a walk; needed a quiet place where he could take…inventory. A wintry morning breeze rushed in, but dissipated once the door had been shut once again.

Unbeknownst to him, Shinji had verbalized all of his thoughts, albeit quietly. Also unbeknownst to him, a man with a constant five-o'clock shadow and a ponytail was eavesdropping from a nearby doorframe.

"So he wants to be a martyr. There are too many people who care about him to be able to handle an act of martyrdom like that. I need to talk him out of this self-depracating mentality."

Kaji sighed. With a heavy heart, he sat down and ate breakfast.

* * *

"Our satellites are detecting a massive fleet near the Comoros, ma'am," Makoto Hyuga reported, "and the Magi have concluded that there is a 99.8% chance that the fleet bears its allegiance to Seele. If so, they're probably heading here."

"So, the long awaited attack has begun," Misato replied, "Makoto, can the JSSDF match that fleet's firepower?"

"No chance. The JSSDF only has a few freighters and some old frigates. The only possible way we can fend off that fleet is by using the Evas."

"Do they have more MP Evas with them?"

"No way of telling. Satellite imagery can only tell so much."

Misato collapsed into a nearby chair, defeated. There seemed to be no hope for Nerv this time. They could not possibly defend against such power. Then, an idea sprang up in her mind.

_We don't have to fight in Japan. We can attack them instead, and we can attack where and when they least expect it._

"Makoto, I want you to call JSSDF headquarters. As much as I hate to ask those traitorous bastards for a favor, this is really important. Tell them that we need those freighters for an upcoming operation."

Makoto, slightly beleaugered, nodded his approval and made the call. Soon, three enormous freighters rumbled down Tokyo Bay. Makoto's awe at the sight was soon interrupted by Misato's abrupt orders.

"This number is perfect. I wasn't expecting the Defence Forces to be so cooperative. Anyways, I want two freighters to be replenishment ships. They'll be equipped with oil tanks, foodstuffs, and a large vessel for fresh water. I want the catapults for Eva Units 01 and 02, as well as an armory, fitted to the last freighter."

Makoto, seeing the implications behind the orders, smiled.

"Yes, ma'am."

"One more question, Makoto. How long do we have until they enter Japanese waters?"

"About 96 hours. It should take about a day to outfit all three ships."

"Perfect. I want to intercept them somewhere near the Marianas. This operation will be code named Vulcan, and will commence at 0100, the morning after the refitting."

Makoto barked a series of commands, and minutes later, the sound of acetylene torches and cranes filled the Tokyo sky.

* * *

The glare of mid-day shone through the blinds, as Asuka woke up. She had had a rare sleep, one characterized by equanimity and peace, rather than tumultuous dreams.

Asuka felt very cheerful, even though everyone else in the apartment had left. She hadn't felt this good since when she was still a toddler, before the contact experiment.

She would finish breakfast, and then perhaps take a walk through a park, enjoying the sunshine and the crisp spring breeze. Afterwards, she might finish her long-delayed sync test, and then seek out Shinji to drag him to a restaurant for lunch. Asuka smiled. It had been so long since she properly planned out a day.

With a light touch to her steps, she walked over to the picture on her desk. The picture was no longer a symbol of sadness, an item that brought back nostalgic memories and painful thoughts. It was only representative of the past, and nothing more.

Shinji had changed, but his change was merely a façade for his true self. At first, she was fooled, but after Kaji's explantion, Asuka realized that the shield was some sort of a twisted coping mechanism. On the other hand, it was entirely understandable. Shinji had gone through some unfathomable events.

She herself had changed. Despite occasional flashes here and there, her abrasiveness was slowly disappearing. She felt happier more often than before.

Yet she could not put her finger on it. What made her happy? _Could it be?_

It could only be. She didn't know why, or how, but the cruel Eros had made her fall in love with Shinji Ikari. Not the tough, Special Forces trained Shinji Ikari, but the real Shinji Ikari, meaning the malleable, kind, sensitive wimp she had grown used to. And that surprised her.

The smile had faded and transformed into a contemplative expression. She knew that the attack from Seele was coming soon. It was important that she tell Shinji her feelings before the battle, lest he leave again.

The ringing of her cell phone interrupted her daydreams. She picked it up, and the monotone, automated voice of a Section 2 agent ordered her to standby at Nerv HQ.

Asuka sighed. The day's plans would have to be postponed. Still, she packed her identification and left for Nerv HQ. The same thoughts still swam in her mind, however.

"I still don't know what I see in that numbskull," she muttered, "and I swear that if he responds incorrectly, I'll snap his neck."

* * *

Shinji could only ignore the irritance of the phone for so long, and eventually, he turned it off altogether.

_How long have I been feeling this way? It feels like its been forever…_

He was sitting at the same spot where Misato had brought him all those years ago. Tokyo-3 had changed ever since Zeruel's attack. It had been rebuilt, and was once again standing tall and proud.

_It's always the same feeling of uselessness. Like when Misato was shot. Like what happened to Asuka in her final stand. Like what happened in Stockholm…_

"You really should keep your thoughts to yourself, you know." Kaji sat down next to him.

"How did you find me?"

"Intuition, I guess. But here's my question; why do you always blame yourself for events that you could not control?"

"Stockholm was my fault. I was a minute late, and the plane left while I was still pinned down in the cargo bay."

"I told you why it wasn't your fault only about a thousand times. Shinji, you need to survive. People care about you. These unnecessary thoughts are going to be the death of you."

"I don't matter anymore."

Kaji toussled his hair in frustration. "You matter. You saved Asuka, twice."

Shinji shrugged. "She would've lived despite everything."

Kaji sighed. "I don't know what to tell you. Either way, I'll give you a ride to Nerv HQ. New operation; code-name Vulcan. You're at least needed at Nerv."

Shinji got up and entered the armored Section 2 sedan. The journey was eerily silent.

_The kid really shouldn't be fighting in this next battle. _Kaji thought. _I'm actually scared for him._

The car screeched to a halt. Kaji stayed in the car.

"I'll be providing backup intelligence from here in Tokyo."

Shinji looked puzzled. "We're not fighting them in Japan?"

"Nope. Misato decided the most effective defence is offence. You're going to intercept them near the Marianas."

Shinji nodded and headed towards the hangar bays.

* * *

"Well," Keel Lorenz started, "It seems that our powerful friend has volunteered to be our sacrificial lamb."

"Nieto was always a liability," responded Taing, "He was too angry. He was not focused on the true objective. It will be better after his death." A majority of the committee's members nodded their heads in approval.

"His 'Grand Fleet' will be annhilated by Unit 01's true power. In that process, we'll not only be able to gauge Unit 01's power, but also heavily damage it in the process." Keel sat back down with an air of confidence. "With Unit 01 out of the picture, Throne can impose the will of the box unto humanity. Instrumentality shall succeed."

The committee applauded. Yet despite his confident speech, Keel was worried. _Unit 01 often operated against logical parameters, and presented an unknown variable. Either way, Nerv will be crippled._

Keel smiled a nervous smile, and awaited the inevitable results of the battle.

* * *

Raphael Nieto stood at the bridge of the Typhoon, expecting calm seas and welcome weather. Nerv would be quashed, and Nieto would finally be able to demand the backing that will eventually allow him to expel the technocrats within Seele.

Nieto ordered the submarine to surface. In the old days, surfacing was a suicidal tactic. But after Third Impact, no nation could find the resources to finance a respectable navy. Seele was now the king of the seas, or more specifically, Nieto.

Looking across the bridge, it was just as he expected. A vast expanse of ocean surrounded the fleet, while the sonic boom of the A-12 interceptor drones echoed across the emptiness. The A-12's were undergoing their first test flights. They would serve as Nieto's instruments for air superiority.

The warlord soon realized that his fleet's configuration was geared for a confrontation on the high seas. "Commander, order the fleet to switch to bombardment configuration. With the current geopolitical situation, it's impossible to be challenged on the ocean."

The officer, sharing his benefactor's cockiness, nodded and screamed into the intercom, "All ships, switch from Anti-Ship priority to Surface-Attack priority!"

Nieto, pleased, headed to the hangars. The Kaworu dummy plugs were still on standby, to prevent a pre-activation disater, though the dummy plugs were much more stable than human pilots. The next-generation Evas were now named "Harpies", to distinguish them from the original Evangelion units. The warlord sat down, and began muttering to himself.

"Those silly old men want to actually carry out Instrumentality. Ha! They don't understand power or deterrence. The ability to utilize Instrumentality is enough power to control the world. The others will die, while I'll be redeemed." He touched the kneecap of one of the Harpies. "I'll need your help."

Night fell. The fleet steamed towards the Marianas, for their final replenishment stop.

* * *

Shinji sat in the entry plug of Unit-01. He contemplated the new name for the MP Evas. They were now called Harpies, according to Kaji's intelligence. It only seemed fitting.

He didn't want to talk to anybody. He wanted to spend his last hours alive alone.

The LCL still stenched of blood.

This would be his last fight.

He looked at his watch. 1:00 in the morning. Alarms began blaring, and the sound of machinery spooling up filled the belly of the ship.

He breathed. A limiter had been placed on his machine, limiting his sync ratio to 200%. This was to prevent him from distintegrating into LCL again. He squinted. If he didn't know better, he could have sworn he saw Asuka, on the deck, looking at Unit-01.

Shinji closed his eyes. Sleep came over him as his fears and doubts danced along the line between turbulence and stability.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I'll try to delve into more character development. Bear with me, as this story will eventually be rewritten. Please remember that this is a first effort. As for now, you'll find almost no character development, because this chapter is mostly just a huge battle between Evas.**

**I think I've finally found a way to land this broken plane on a wing and a prayer. One thing that may have contributed to the noir feel and the OOCness of Chapters 2 and 3 is my listening to 'Waterloo' from the Bourne Ultimatum. Pardon the noobiness from Chapter 1: that was just inexperience.**

**The promised renovation will begin as soon as the original story is finished. Please continue to review. For now, enjoy the apex of the original vision, and thanks for reading!**

**-Framework**

**Chapter 5**

People think differently when they know they're near death.

For Shinji, with every day closer to Seele's attack, he began reverting to his normal mode of operation: cold, taciturn, and reserved. In the few days he had been back at Tokyo-3, being around Asuka had created a comforting normalcy around his life. Just as she had said at the beginning, it was just like the old days.

Going through Seele data, Shinji discovered that they would be up against 25 Harpies. It was a suicide attack.

And now, about thirty minutes away from the commencing of Operation Vulcan, Shinji had completely shut off, worrying everyone in the command center. Still, Shinji's sync rates were off the scale. "Unit-01 has just achieved 155% sync with its pilot!" Maya Ibuki cried, "It's unbelievable!"

Misato smiled a wintry smile. She could feel something was wrong, but she did not know what it was. The communication feed to the cockpit of Unit-01 had been heavily encrypted by him. Misato had no communication with Shinji, and it scared her.

The healthy human mind doesn't wake up thinking that it is its last day alive. Shinji was dwelling on how many enemies he could take out before he died. Asuka could almost feel the fatalism emitting from Unit-01. She made a final attempt to crack the encryption, failed, and then gave up. _I'll leave him to his thoughts for now. But this silence feels alien and odd…_

A red light flooded the hangars. "Units 01 and 02, standby for launch. Fifteen minutes until the commencement of Operation Vulcan. I repeat, Units 01 and 02, standby for launch."

Misato looked at her watch. "Tell the replenishment ships to stop here. After the launch of the Evas, we'll drop anchor as well."

"Yes ma'am."

Misato sat back down. _It feels as if Shinji has a death wish.

* * *

_

"How much longer is it going to take?"

"About five minutes. Since you already paid in advance, the locks will be opened as soon as we're done."

Nieto sighed. His fleet had been stranded for almost four hours. It was frustrating to no end. Still, he had all the time in the world…

"Sir. Radar has spotted one large freighter, about 350 miles away."

Nieto shifted his head. "A freighter? That's nothing. Probably one of the locals. Leave'em alone."

"Yes sir." The messenger left.

The starlit night sky provided much natural light. Nieto could just make out the silhoette of the freighter. Something about the innocuous appearance bothered him. He ordered the messenger back.

"I want the dummy plugs inserted into the Harpies. I want the crew at secondary alert. Continue sweeping for hostiles."

The messenger, puzzled, asked, "Sir? Is that really necessary?"

Normally, Nieto would have shot the man, or burned in rage. But he was too preoccupied with the attack and the aftermath. "Orders confirmed. Carry them out."

"Understood." The messenger wisely chose not to try the warlord's patience anymore, and made his way to the Typhoon's control room.

Nieto, exhausted, retired to his berth on the Kiev, deciding to call it a night. It was five minutes to 4:30, and he needed sleep.

Morning was just beginning to dawn.

* * *

"The attack will commence at 0430. Equip both units with S-Type flight equipment. Pilots may choose their armaments at their own discretion."

Shinji had equipped himself with dual assault rifles, as well as an Eva-sized katana, both of which complemented his existing prog knife. Asuka had equipped a flechette rifle and a sonic glaive. Unit 02 was also fitted with a multi-phase battery system that extended the operation time to 102 minutes.

Both units lined up at their respective launchers. Suddenly, a camera feed appeared in Unit 02's entry plug. It was Shinji.

"Shin…"

"I'm sorry, Asuka. Remember me."

"Wha…?"

Unit 01 suddenly took a sticky grenade from the arsenal and slammed it into Unit 02's launcher, destroying it completely. Following this, Shinji manouevered Unit 01 into its launcher and blasted towards the surface without delay. Asuka was thrown backwards from the explosion, temporarily dazed, and recovered just in time to see Unit 01 flying towards the night sky.

"You bastard! What the hell?"

There was no answer, which meant the encryption was back again. Asuka could just make out the cursing of Misato and the bridge crew from her connection. Trying desperately to listen to Misato's instructions, she took several deep breaths and calmed down.

"Launcher two is completely destroyed, and Launcher one will take almost fifty minutes to be prepared." Misato cursed again silently.

"Fifty minutes? That's ridiculous."

"I'm sorry Asuka. It's the best we can do right now."

Asuka bristled for a short while, but then rapidly understood Shinji's motive. _No…it can't be…_

She froze at the revelation. _Mein Gott…_

"You idiot!" she screamed, "You cretinous blockhead! You just don't realize how much people care for you. And…you don't realize how much I care for you. You don't care at all. And now, you're going to die, and I'll be alone again…"

Asuka began sobbing quietly.

* * *

"Well, Don Quixote, that was the most stupid thing I've ever seen anyone do."

"I was expecting this transmission code to be cracked. Hello there, Kaji."

"You bastard. You frigging bastard."

Shinji remained silent.

"The days of bushido are over, Shinji. This can only end badly. Martyrdom isn't worth it. Shinji? Listen to me!"

"It doesn't matter. As long as Asuka's safe, everything will be fine. If I die, there will finally be a conclusion to this whole mess, and everyone can get on with their lives."

"No, they can't. You went back, and you were happy. You were happy that Asuka was with you again, that you lived a semi-stable life, even if it was for only a few days. You just can't accept the fact that you deserve happiness, and you're willing to vanquish everyone else's in your own world of denial!" Kaji's face became contorted with frustration. "Damn it, Shinji! I don't know what else to say!"

"Then don't say anything more. I'm about to enter my attack vector." There was a slight pause, and then; "It's been a honor working with you, Kaji. Thanks for all the help. You've been like a father to me."

Before Kaji could reply, Shinji broke off the connection.

Silence prevailed for but a moment, as Shinji appreciated the final lull before the storm.

_I can't keep on living like this, just fighting endlessly. I'm just tired, too tired to keep on fighting._

Shinji Ikari willed Unit 01 from below radar cover and rushed towards the fleet.

* * *

Raphael Nieto was awakened rudely by the rattling of anti-aircraft fire. Initially groggy, he quickly realized the implications of the said sound. Nieto quickly dressed, and then promptly ran to the bridge.

Grabbing a nearby officer, he shoved him against a wall. "What the hell is happening? How on Earth was an intruder able to penetrate our perimeter? Moreover, who the hell is it?"

"It's Eva Unit 01, sir. It was flying under radar cover. We're currently engaging it."

Nieto roughly pushed to unfortunate officer aside. "Deploy the Harpies. All of them!"

"Yes sir!"

_Damned bastards. So they're taking the initiative. Hold on a second…_

"Where's Eva Unit 02?"

"Not spotted. Presumably, they're depending on Unit 01 for this attack, and saving Unit 02 for the defence of Tokyo just in case."

Nieto nodded. "All units, primary alert! We are currently engaging Eva Unit 01. Weapons free. Our primary and only objective is to destroy Unit 01!"

The boom of cannon fire echoed across the early morning sky. Nieto sniffed.

And a destroyer disappeared in a fantastic explosion. Nieto, hiding behind the safety of his monitors, was mesmerized the glowing green eyes of the Evangelion.

A-12 drones were being swatted from the sky.

Twenty Harpies slowly floated to the surface.

* * *

Eva Unit 01, fully utilizing its S-Type flight equipment, dodged the flurry of artillery and missle fire directed at it, and jumped on to a nearby destroyer, causing it to explode.

"Where are they? Where are the Harpies?"

Shinji shot a burst at an incoming A-12 drone. It shuddered, and then quickly burst into flames. Spotting a nearby surfaced submarine, Shinji struck it down with his katana, then promptly repositioned himself and destroyed another destroyer with his assault rifle. Eyeing the closest carrier, Shinji flew towards it, ignoring the missile fire, and stabbed the bridge with his progressive knife.

Then a glint appeared in his eye, and Shinji leapt out of the way. It was a copy Lance of Longinus. Twenty silhouettes appeared, illuminated by the Moon.

_So that's where they were. In a submarine._

All twenty dived towards Shinji, each backed by a few A-12 drones. Unit 01 rapidly climbed to 10,000 feet, all the while spraying fire at the incoming Harpies. The perpetual grins were closing in.

Four missiles flew by. Shinji, temporarily distracted, manouevered just as a Lance whittled past. He breathed.

Grabbing the katana once again, Unit 01 sliced a Harpy in half, destroying its core in the process. The Harpy stumbled, crashed into another, and then exploded. The other Harpy was temporarily stunned, giving Shinji enough leeway to impale it with a progressive knife. The hostile twitched for a moment, tumbled from the sky, and distintegrated in a burst of blood.

The eighteen remaining were regrouping. Shinji blitzed towards an isolated group and blasted a Harpy's head off with a burst from the assault rifles. A few seconds late however, the head had regenerated. Shinji cursed.

A-12s buzzed through the air. Five more Harpies appeared on the horizon. The Seele fleet was still foolishly holding ground.

Shinji landed on a nearby hill and exhaled.

_I musn't run away.

* * *

_

"Sync ratio for Unit 01 is at 200%. It's really pushing the limiter!" Makoto Hyuga boggled in astonishment. "In addition, it's already destroyed ten Harpies!"

Misato nervously paced the control room. "How long until Unit 01's launcher is prepared for Unit 02?"

"Twenty minutes."

Asuka raged. "Revision: It's going to be ready in ten minutes. If not, I'll have your hide!"

The technician nervously replied. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. We can't do anymore."

"He's right." Misato desperately tried to calm down Asuka. "Don't worry. Shinji'll come back, and you can beat him up afterwards. Everything will be fine."

"No, it won't be. Shinji's going to get slaughtered."

_He's always hated fighting. Yet he's willing to die for me, however misguided he may be._

She was touched nonetheless, but terrified at the same time. _If he dies, I won't be able to bear it. It'll be too hard, simply too hard…_

"Hold on a second," Misato pondered, "We're going to have to utilize Unit 02's S-Type equipment in conjunction, but we really need only half of Unit 01's velocity to launch Unit 02."

Asuka perkened up. "Ten minutes. Re-flood the entry plug with LCL. I want to fight."

"Yes ma'am." Hyuga, no longer threatened by the prospect of losing his skin, typed industriously into the system inputs. "Launch velocity currently at 75%. Preparing track designation."

"Thank you. Misato, how long will it take me to get to the battlefield?"

"About five minutes."

Asuka closed her eyes.

* * *

A Sovremenny destroyer snapped in half as Eva Unit 01 used it as a springboard.

The ensuing blast blinded Shinji for a few moments. When he regained his sight, the remaining thirteen Harpies flew towards him.

He had destroyed twelve of them, which already far surpassed his own expectations. But his rifles had run out of ammunition, and his body could only take so much. The G-forces and combat fatigue were beginning to overwhelm him.

Another familiar glint flew past him. It was another Lance of Longinus. No matter how many Harpies he destroyed, the remaining ones were continually resupplied by the Typhoon, which dove down to deep waters every time he approached it. His Eva Unit could not operate underwater, and that meant that the Harpies would be fully equipped and repaired every single time they emerged from the submarine.

A shudder ran through the Eva, and warning lights flashed all over the Eva's console. The S-Type equipment had taken too much abuse in the fight, and was bleeding thrust at an alarming rate. "Shit!"

Unit 01 ditched the S-Type equipment, incidentally blasting it into a tailing Harpy. Unit 01 turned around and accurately flicked its prog knife into the Harpy's core. The Harpy disappeared in a cloud of blood.

Breathing heavily, Shinji landed on a Kiev-class carrier, toppling many of the A-12's on the deck overboard. The fleet had used up a vast majority of its ammunition, and was now entirely dependent on the Harpies for defence. The interceptor drones and the ships were now nothing more than cannon fodder.

The Harpies regrouped and dove into the ocean. Shinji knew exactly what this entailed. _Eleven fresh enemies. _

Shinji approached this sobering fact with a bittersweet serenity. He flipped open the self-destruct mechanism, in preparation of his imminent fate.

_I don't deserve to be happy. Father…Mother…_

The Harpies began their counterattack. Shinji leapt off the carrier onto a nearby cliff. Unbeknownst to him, a red Eva unit was rocketing through the maze of lagoons, its pilot desperately begging for his life.

"Don't die, Shinji. You can't die now."

* * *

"All of the destroyers have been sunk!" the young Seele officer barked, "Only one carrier still operational! Three Akula submarines are still active! We have suffered 66% casualties!"

Nieto snapped a pencil. Shaking, he tried to reassure himself of victory. "We've still got eleven Harpies left! I want that last Kiev to launch all remaining A-12s, if only to serve as distractions."

"Roger!"

_How the hell was he able to destroy fourteen of them? How?_

"Sir! We're detecting Eva Unit 02 on the horizon!"

"What the hell? I thought…?" Nieto felt his blood freeze.

_Bastards! I'll kill them all! _

"Shoot it down! Kill'em without mercy!" Nieto smashed a porcelain coffee mug on a nearby monitor.

"Sir, we just lost the last carrier! Unit 01 just snapped it in half!" shouted one technician.

"Akula class submarine _Kazan _has taken critical damage. Cause unknown! It's non-responsive!"

The once mighty Raphael Nieto collapsed on the floor. "Monsters! Monsters! All of them!"

* * *

Inside the Ca' d'Oro, an enormous monitor clandestinely linked to an American observation satellite informed the group of the progress of the battle. Naturally, they were not pleased.

Keel slammed his fist on the table. "I thought Nieto would be at least more useful than this. This is simply humiliating!"

"We may have to activate Throne prematurely. Adam…"

"…Will still be reunited with Lilith. But we need Throne…no…Adam to destroy Unit-01. Nieto has obviously failed." Taing sighed in defeat.

"He hasn't failed yet."

The cold and calculating voice of Gaurav Batra echoed throughout the room. An eerie silence followed.

Taing broke the still. "How did you arrive at that conclusion?" he sneered.

"Patience. We never expected him to destroy Unit 01. His objective is now to let us observe the true Unit 01. Knowing its powers will be crucial to destroying it…"

The silence returned. The remaining eleven members of Seele now sat content.

* * *

Unit 01 was now entirely on the defensive. Despite having destroyed a further two Harpies, the Eva was now at a disadvantage. Its pilot was exhausted and was just barely aware of his surroundings.

A Lance barreled past. Shinji exhaled. _That was too close._

The Harpy responsible for throwing it was now bearing down on Unit 01, with death in its eyes…

And its torso promptly fragmented in a firework of blood, fire and flesh. The rest dissolved shortly afterwards. A nearby Harpy shared the same fate, as the mystery weapon fired again in quick succession. Shinji noticed the projectile type. _Flechettes…Surely not!_

Unit 02 breezed past, purposeful and dignified, while being illuminated by the fading moon.

"Asuka…why?"

The Harpies, having found a new target, all rushed towards her. And Shinji knew what he had to do.

_I made a vow to protect you. I'll not break it._

Using his remaining weapon, the broken and battered katana, Shinji dove in to the melee, killing a Harpy immediately. The others dispersed, and Asuka took out another one with the flechette rifle. Dismembering another with the sonic glaive, she failed to notice a Harpy speeding towards her blind spot.

Shinji spotted the Harpy, and plunged towards it.

The Harpy was sufficiently damaged for the core to be visible, and though Shinji didn't need to see it, the visual helped. Equalling Unit 01's speed, the Harpy dashed and aimed for Unit 01's torso. Asuka had just spotted the attacker and displaced herself from the Harpy's attack vector.

The Harpy slammed into the shattered katana, slid off, and became a sanguine haze. After seeing this sight, the remaining three Harpies made a tactical retreat. Asuka felt her blood go cold. Unit 01 fell from the sky, with a Lance of Longinus impaling its torso, just missing the core.

An awesome pain crippled Shinji. His body felt cold, and his mouth tasted metallic. He choked, and his blood mixed with the LCL. He felt everything going dark. He couldn't reach the self -destruct trigger.

_I feel weak. I feel so alone. _

"No…" Asuka cried, "No, not now. Please…Shinji…don't leave me."

* * *

"Pilot Ikari has sustained mortal injuries! He has suffered massive internal bleeding. Unit 01 is heavily damaged. Unable to continue combat!" Makoto Hyuga's quivering voice rang throughout the command room. Hyuga was terrified; the internal entry plug video feed made him feel sick. But he had to finish the situation report: "Unit 02's sync ratio is rapidly dropping. It is now at 43%, barely above operational level!"

"Damn it! Damn it, Shinji!" Misato sobbed. "Now are you happy? Damn you!"

Kaji's voice, distorted by static, roared in. "Is it true? Don't tell me it's true…"

"Shinji's going to die."

There was an ominous silence. Misato had become catatonic. _If we only switched off his limiter, perhaps he could've performed at higher capacity. _Then it hit her. _Hold on just a…_

"Makoto! Turn off Unit 01's limiter! We'll try to get it to over 400% sync, and when we get back home, we can at least try to salvage his soul. It's the only shot we have left! Hurry!"

Makoto began to argue, but then changed his mind. They really had nothing to lose.

"Limiter off!"

* * *

_I feel so cold, so empty. _

He could tell he was losing more blood. Much of the LCL in the entry plug was now tinged with red.

_Mother…when I die, can you protect Asuka for me? I can't last much longer…_

_Because I just want to protect. I don't want anyone else to die. I just want…peace._

The comms were back up. Shinji had no idea how. He could vaguely make out the voice of Makoto Hyuga.

"Sync at 300%...345%...389%...402%!

Shinji could feel his body, and the pain, beginning to fade away. It was familiar, though not comfortable.

"…Sync ratio still rising! 450%...498%...520%...549%!"

He could feel himself becoming stronger. He felt warmer, better.

"…572%...593%...601%...my god…we've lost the connection to the entry plug!"

The interior, and the walls of the entry plug began turning into quanta. Shinji found himself inside the core instead.

_I want to protect._

"Pilot Ikari has fused with Unit-01's core! Unit 01 itself is changing!

Unit 01 became extremely bright. It was now emanating a blinding light. It somewhat looked like…

"Adam." Misato finished the sentence, in awe of the creature. "It's become Adam. Or more accurately…Lilith."

Asuka herself was stunned at the sight. "God…"

* * *

Raphael Nieto had already been unstable for quite some time. Watching the transformation of Unit 01 had caused him to lose his final grasp on reality.

"I know what I'll do…I'll implode the nuclear reactor on this thing!" The crew of the Typhoon looked at him warily. "Insert the extra fuel rod to provoke reactive instability. We're going to take that down no matter what. Do it now!"

"Sir. Perhaps it may be wiser just to admit defeat."

With contemptuous eyes, Raphael Nieto pulled out his gun and shot the officer guilty of speaking sense.

"Anyone else dare to question my orders?" The bridge crew shook their heads. "Good. Now do it!"

Warning lights flashed all across the console. "Yes…yes…that's it." Raphael Nieto broke out in maniacal laughter.

* * *

Shinji had already destroyed the three remaining Harpies with ease. Unit 01 ripped them apart without any meaningful resistance. The Eva though, was still telling him that there was a threat.

The two remaining Akula subs had already retreated to safer waters, conceding defeat. All the other ships were sunk. That only left the Typhoon.

Unit 01 manipulated the electromagnetic interference present, and utilized to forcibly surface the Typhoon. Recognizing immediately that it had an overloading reactor, Shinji tossed the 29,000-ton submarine into space like a ragdoll. Suddenly, Unit 01 screamed, and the surrounding waters began to turn into LCL. It quickly reverted, however, and Unit 01, exhausted, plunged into the Pacific.

* * *

"Raphael Nieto. You have been a disgrace and a failure. Your punishment is fitting."

"You bastards. You were planning this all along." Nieto laughed a careless laugh. "But you'll be destroyed soon enough."

Gaurav Batra chuckled, and then showed him a blueprint through the monitors. Nieto twitched, then collapsed. "No…

The Typhoon, stranded in orbit, imploded in a nonsensical manner. All that remained of Raphael Nieto was a shadow, permanently imprinted on to a piece of armored hull, a forlorn memorial to a bitter battle.

* * *

Asuka, upon returning to the freighter, ran up to the control room. "How is Shinji? Is he still trapped in the Eva? Will he ever come back?"

Misato's visage said everything. Asuka collapsed and cried.

* * *

Shinji found himself floating in a surreal dimension. A familiar person stood parallel to him. He immediately recognized her.

"Mother?"

"Hello Shinji." Yui replied. "It's been a while."

"Where am I? What am I? Why?"

Yui smiled. "Questions and their answers have their time and place. But don't worry, for all will be resolved…"


End file.
